Buy Blue King Crab Online
Blue king crab are similar in size and appearance, except for color, to the more widespread red king crab, but are typically biennial spawners with lesser fecundity and somewhat larger sized eggs. It may not be possible for large female blue king crabs to support the energy requirements for annual ovary development, growth, and egg extrusion due to limitations imposed by their habitat, such as poor quality or low abundance of food or reduced feeding activity due to cold water. Both the large size reached by blue king crab and the generally high productivity of the Pribilof and St Matthew island areas, however, argue against such environmental constraints. Development of the fertilized embryos occurs in the egg cases attached to the pleopods beneath the abdomen of the female crab and hatching occurs February through April. After larvae are released, large female blue king crab will molt, mate, and extrude their clutches the following year in late March through mid April.
buy blue king crab online
Blue king crab molt frequently as juveniles, growing a few millimeters in size with each molt. Unlike red king crab juveniles, blue king crab juveniles are not known to form pods. Female king crabs typically reach sexual maturity at approximately five years of age while males may reach maturity one year later, at six years of age.
Food eaten by king crabs varies by species, size, and depth inhabited. King crabs are known to eat a wide assortment of marine life including worms, clams, mussels, snails, brittle stars, sea stars, sea urchins, sand dollars, barnacles, crabs, other crustaceans, fish parts, sponges, and algae.
King crabs are eaten by a wide variety of organisms including but not limited to fishes (Pacific cod, sculpins, halibut, yellowfin sole), octopuses, king crabs (they can be cannibalistic), sea otters, and several new species of nemertean worms, which have been found to eat king crab embryos.
Adult blue king crabs exhibit nearshore to offshore (or shallow to deep) and back, annual migrations. They come to shallow water in late winter and by spring the female's embryos hatch. Adult females and some adult males molt and mate before they start their offshore feeding migration to deeper waters. Adult crabs tend to segregate by sex off the mating-molting grounds. Red, blue, and golden king crabs are seldom found co-existing with one another even though the depth ranges they live in and habitats may overlap.
Blue king crab are anomurans in the family Lithodidae which also includes the red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus and golden or brown king crab Lithodes aequispinus in Alaska. Blue king crabs occur off Hokkaido in Japan, with disjunct populations occurring in the Sea of Okhotsk and along the Siberian coast to the Bering Straits. In North America, they are known from the Diomede Islands, Point Hope, outer Kotzebue Sound, King Island, and the outer parts of Norton Sound. In the remainder of the Bering Sea, they are found in the waters off St. Matthew Island and the Pribilof Islands. In more southerly areas as far as southeastern Alaska in the Gulf of Alaska, blue king crabs are found in widely-separated populations that are frequently associated with fjord-like bays. This disjunct, insular distribution of blue king crab relative to the similar but more broadly distributed red king crab is likely the result of post-glacial period increases in water temperature that have limited the distribution of this cold-water adapted species. Factors that may be directly responsible for limiting the distribution include the physiological requirements for reproduction, competition with the more warm-water adapted red king crab, exclusion by warm-water predators, or habitat requirements for settlement of larvae.Status, Trends, and ThreatsStatusThe two major populations of blue king crab in Alaska are in the Pribilof Islands and in St. Matthew Island areas. Since the early 1980s abundance of the Pribilof Island population has peaked during the early 1980s and the mid-1990s, but has been at a fairly low level ever since. This population is too low at present to support a directed commercial fishery. The St. Matthew Island population also experienced peaks in abundance during the early 1980s and mid-1990s, but is increasing at the present. Recent increases in this population have allowed for a directed commercial fishery in 2009 and again in 2010.TrendsThe Pribilof Island population is currently experiencing low abundance relative to peaks in abundance in the early 1980s and mid-1990s. The St. Matthew Island population is currently trending upwards after ten years of low abundance.ThreatsNo known threats at this time although there is concern for the continued low abundance of Pribilof Island blue king crab, despite no directed commercial harvest since 1999.Fast FactsSizeUp to 18 pounds for a mature male.
Range/DistributionDisjunct populations in the North Pacific Ocean, with major concentrations primarily in Bering Sea.
DietWide assortment of invertebrates including worms, clams, mussels, snails, brittle stars, sea stars, sea urchins, sand dollars, barnacles, crabs, other crustaceans, fish parts, sponges, and algae.
PredatorsA wide variety of marine fishes, king crab, and octopus.
ReproductionBiennial spawning, embryos held in egg cases attached to the abdomen.
RemarksBering Sea populations off of Alaska are managed jointly by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
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In generally, suppliers pre-cook and flash freeze the crab within hours of it being out of water. They ship the crab in insulated boxes, sometimes with dry ice to ensure the product stays cold. Since the crab will be near frozen when it arrives, you should thaw the crab before preparing it. If you find blue crab online, you can expect to enjoy your meal the very next day.
Blue Alaskan king crab stays true to the king crab flavor profile with just an added touch of sweetness. Offering a buttery taste and a savory finish, blue king crab is a delightful catch. Prepare it as you would other king crabs to enhance the natural flavor and keep seasoning to a minimum. Clean and pure is always best.
Blue Alaskan king crab live in deeper and colder conditions than red king crabs. Fishers use traps to catch blue king crab given their depth. Blue king crab are concentrated in areas like St. Matthew and Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea. The king crab fishing season stretches from October to January. Fishers hit the waters diligently during the active season to get the supply they need for the year.
If you try searching for Alaskan blue king crab price per pound, you might not find a lot of information. As we said earlier, red king crab typically encompasses both. This makes it difficult to pin down an exact price per pound. However, historic data about blue king crab price gives us a rough idea. The market price per pound has fluctuated from as low as $3.38 to $4.98 since 2010. Any of those rates fall lower than red king crab which lingers near $7.00 per pound.
Online or in grocery stores, the price you pay as a consumer is much higher. Online prices range from $60 to $70 per pound for king crab legs. The cost is not for naught as king crab is truly king.
Touting the iconic scarlet shade of crab, Red King crab dominates the field. They set up camp in shallower depths, just like Blue King crab, but they've adapted to warm-water settings and ventured into places where Blue King can't go. They flourish even in size compared to the Blue and Golden variations, and when cooked, their color ripens to accentuate their deep red shell. Red is the most widely eaten King crab. These appetizing stone crabs are plucked from Bristol Bay and Norton Sound. Because of their enormous popularity, Red King crab prices are higher than its crab competitors. For the savory taste of the Red King, the demand is still constant despite a slightly higher price. Indulge in this massive crab to see what everyone is raving about. Long Red King crab legs will immediately turn your meal into a feast. To ensure freshness for your dinner table, we cook Red Kings directly after the fishermen have captured them. Maine Lobster Now also provides pre-cooked crab that's easily defrosted. You can heat your pre-cooked crab at home using many methods, but baking and steaming carefully warm the tender meat. Boiling is also an option, but the fragile flesh dazzles with the first two methods. Grab your sheller, and slather on the butter for the best experience with king crab legs.
Blue King crab, a smaller version of the popular Red King, is delicious and vibrantly colored. These crabs shy away from warm water, congregating in nooks of cold water around the Bering Sea and nearby islands, like King Island, Point Hope and Norton Sound. Rich chunks of King crab meat come from these oddly colored crabs. The less insisted upon Blue King is cheaper than Red King but more expensive than the Golden King. Blue King is an affordable option that retains the savory, buttery taste of the King species. The sapphire shell may be nontraditional, but this type does not disappoint. Once cooked, the blue shell takes on red tones and becomes hard to distinguish. Garlic is the perfect addition to toss in with your Blue King crab. Include mined or sautéed garlic in your classic clarified butter dipping sauce. Soft-shell crab is not a species but refers to the state of the crab's shell when it's caught and cooked. Crabs do not have the luxury of expanding skin. When they grow up or gain weight, they have to develop an entirely new shell. After crabs molt their old shells, and before they're solidly protected with new cozy ones, they're left vulnerable and ready to become someone's soft-shell dinner. Blue King crabs undergo this molting process, and with easier access, you can savor their body meat. 041b061a72